Horizon:Volume 1 Chapter 11

Chapter 11: Adults in the Pub

To be able to say that oneself is worthless.

Is because one is not in a worthless position.

If so, that one is able to laugh at that oneself.

Why is that so.

Point Allocation (Point of View)

●

"--That's how it is. There's nothing but bad memories when it comes to what happened before."

Inside the wooden building, the voice of a stocky man could be heard.

The location was a space in the outskirts of Mikawa, a space which included a kitchen and counter, around 20-tatami in size. It was a cafeteria which served alcohol and snacks.

By the entrance, tables and chairs of wood were lined up, but the inner half was merely covered with tatami. From that expanse of tatami, the voice-

"Alright, let's put that past behind us and have a change of heart. Faced with you, who's become perverted, we've finally, after ten years, said that we should meet, and we went so far as to prepare a place that you're familiar with, yet--"

Sakai, Tadakatsu, Sakakibara, and the girl who followed Tadakatsu surrounded a table in the heart of the building, and within them, Tadakatsu simultaneously thudded a medium-sized sake bottle, drained of its contents, against the table as his voice rang out.

"Sakai, you still touch your opponent's butt in the middle of combat, just like you used to!?"

"You know, normally, one wouldn't make their daughter fight against their great friend upon a reunion, you know? Futayo, right? I've seen your name before, but you've really become strong. Seriously setting someone like that on me, Dacchan, just like ten years ago, there's something wrong with your brain, huh? If we were playing an RPG, you're the type who acts like you've immediately been cursed with Doom in a battle."

"You're damned noisy. You always do stuff like that, doing things by yourself, so you were demoted to the Student President of Musaashi, you know!? In other words--"

"Hey, hey, Dacchan, I won't let you get drunk at noon and loop your story three times. Rather, it's nice being a Student President, y'know? When I want to talk with young girls, when I want to talk to female teachers, when I want to line up all the youngsters and pretend that I'm the commander of a elite squadron in my heart while having a morning assembly, how do you think it is, being a Student President? Right, Sakakibara!?"

"Why are you turning to me?"

So he said, and Sakai and Tadakatsu looked at Sakakibara in unison-

"--Hey you, your reactions have always really been horrible!"

The girl behind Tadakatsu, Futayo, slightly raised her hand.

"Father, since before, during the triple-loop, it feels as if Sakakibara-sama has been oppressed, but..."

"Ahh, Futayo, don't you remember our rhythm from ten years ago? It's been 10 years since I've met them, I didn't think it'd return to the refrain situation of that time if I came this far..."

'Jud.,' Futayo nodded. Bowing lightly while remaining seated-

"If it is possible, please introduce yourself again-"

●

For Honda Futayo, who studies the sword, the Matsudaira Four Heavenly Kings who include her father, Tadakatsu, are a special existence.

Currently, because of the frequent occurrences of Phenomena in Mikawa due to the 'clearing out' and the operations of New Nagoya Castle, the number of people have become few. Those who act as representative of the few people there are left are but her father and Sakakibara; the others have had their inheritance of names stolen by automatons and withdrew, leaving Mikawa.

The Honda family also moved what was important to them to the alternate territory of Matsudaira, Edo, and they had a small mansion in the outskirts. In these few years, even Futayo had not set foot near the central district. However, today, because this place, called "the place that you're familiar with", was near the center, in her heart, she remained alert of the occurrence of Phenomena.

...Despite that, Father and them are bold...

Their, the Matsudaira Four Heavenly Kings' popularity was still high among those who had moved to the outskirts. Recently, I have not seen Ii Naomasa who had left on something like a business trip, but he, Father, and Sakakibara had become great among those who remained in Mikawa.

And now, the people always spoke of Sakai.

...In essence, the person who was treated as the leader of the Matsudaira Four Heavenly Kings.

I had met him before. I had talked to him before. However, these were things which had happened more than ten years ago, and I do not really remember them, so I also did not know the worth or meaning of my opponent's existence. I just assumed that he was simply a hunchbacked old man.

Therefore, for Futayo, only Sakai is excluded from the Four Heavenly Kings.

How deep is the acclamation of his worth, government, martial arts, and personality which people speak of?

Now, the person himself was before her eyes, but-

"Ah, I'm Sakai Tadatsugu.

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